The Ricoh GRD series of compact cameras have been a popular choice among photographers who want a stealthy point-and-shoot that offers manual focus and exposure control. The Japanese company has updated this line with the GRD III and its optics should appeal to enthusiasts.

The 28mm fixed lens has a maximum aperture of F1.9, and shutterbugs who snap a lot of pictures at night will find this large lens opening useful. Besides the usual JPEG image format, the 10-megapixel camera is able to take RAW pictures, and the 3-inch screen has been upgraded to a higher-resolution 920K-pixel display. Although this professional-oriented point-and-shoot records video at only 640 x 480 pixels, we're pretty sure its target audience won't mind.

The GRD III is compatible with a wide range of accessories made for the GRD II, save for a few peripherals such as the GH-1 lens hood.

The Ricoh camera is expected to reach shelves in the U.K. first for $877 in mid-August.